Matches for "Troublemaker"

After quite a bit of nibbling, I'm Confident got his picture taken last week for trainer Bob Johnson and pilot Tyler Smith. He'll attempt a curtain call in Saturdays Cal Expo headliner while facing a slightly tougher group.
The 8-year-old son of The Panderosa comes into the assignment with $272,000 in his bank account and a 1:53 mark that was established last season at Hoosier Park. The fact that he gamely re-rallied to get the job done last week will not be lost on the bettors.
"He was one of three horses I bought last summer in Indiana from Gilbert Herrera.", said Johnson, who co-owns the performer with Marty Garey and Hank Wieseneck. "All three had over $200,000 on their card, but hes the only one who really worked out.
"He has that back class working for him and I was actually shocked he was on the lead last week and then re-rallied to beat the favorite. As far as Tyler Smith is concerned, Ive never seen a driver with so much talent at such an early age."
Last summer at age 20, Smith became the youngest driver in harness racing history to reach 1,000 victories. He has been dividing his time between Northfield Park in Ohio and Cal Expo of late, although the nasty weather back East shut down Northfield earlier this week.
"I was driving for Bob this summer and he suggested I look into coming to Cal Expo," said Smith, who will turn 21 later this month. "After talking with (General Manager) Chris Schick, I was very excited about the opportunity."
Smith, who captured the Hoosier Park driving crown, noted that he actually prefers to race on a mile track. On a half-mile track, post position can be a big handicap and you almost always have to be moving. I like the chance to be patient and think a little more out there.
It's Getting Hairy gets the marquee treatment
It's Getting Hairy, who has been doing all his recent work at the Invitational level against the likes of Pancetta and One And Only, gets some class relief and earns the top billing in Saturdays pacing feature at the Watch and Wager LLC meet at Cal Expo.
Among the major rivals in the main event are the hard-knocking Split Ticket, who will go postward for trainer Lino Pacheco and Chip Lackey; Phantom Dan and recent victor Giant Sculpture. A 14-race card is on tap with first post set for 5:20 p.m.
A 5-year-old son of Relentless Yankee from the Troublemaker mare Camden Flora, It's Getting Hairy is owned by Denise Maier with Tim Maier driving and training. Last year saw him capturing nine of his 24 appearances, including a lifetime-best 1:52 3/5 clocking at Running Aces.
The dark-hued performer was razor sharp earlier in the meeting, including back-to-back wins at the Open 2 level in November where he used a wicked stretch kick to prove a punctual favorite on both occasions.
It's Getting Hairy has had to settle for minor awards in the interim, however, while facing some pretty tough customers in Pancetta, One And Only and Stuebuen Jumpinjack. He figures to be much more at home with this weekends rival and could easily return to his winning ways under these conditions.
Like Its Getting Hairy, Phantom Dan was an Open 2 victor earlier in this session and is a nice fit at this level. James Kennedy drives, trains and co-owns the son of Little Steven with Jennifer Burns and he was beaten a head last weekend in a solid effort.
Giant Sculpture is moving up in class after posting a convincing score from well off the pace at most recent asking. The 6-year-old Village Jolt gelding goes about his business for A Piece Of The Action LLC with Gene Vallandingham the conditioner and Steve Wiseman making a return engagement in the sulky.
By Mark Ratzky for Cal Expo Harness

Monticello Raceway maybe one horse closer to having a field for the Au Revoir, the race exclusively for 14 year olds on Monday, December30.
"I recently heard from Joe Rayll who said he was going to enter Hez Da Man N in our Au Revior," related Eric Warner the tracks director of racing.
"Joe's been racing at Freehold (Raceway) and will have to travel a ways to be with us next Monday (Dec.30). That's usually the case with all the 14 year olds who enter. They aren't concentrated in one place and have to travel so we never know who really is coming until we open the (entry) box."
Warner has also heard from the connections of, Copper Canyon, Run Tim Run, and Rare Glory and if they, and Hez Da Man N enter t only a few more pacers will be needed.
However, he also has received interest from Will Johnson, the owner of Anvil Raider N. Last Saturday night the veteran pacer became the winningest horse in North America when he notched his 22nd victory of the season with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.aboard. That triumph is now one more than the Mighty M's Tracys Song whose 21 wins had led the parade until then.
"Mr. Johnson said there may be another 14 year old in the Cleveland area that may want to come and that maybe they can van in together," Warner added.
One oldtimer , who will probably skip this year's Au Revoir and perhaps rightly so, is Forest Vic A. Although the Australian-bred gelding by the American stallion Troublemaker, has only won two races this year he has bankrolled over $81,000 while competing at Yonkers Raceway all season long.
Obviously there are other 14 year olds still competing in December and hopefully some may join the fray for this year's Au Revoir.
Last year the winner of the Au Revoir, Whitlock N,came in from Maine while the early favorite Tattler's Jet was from Wisconsin.
"As I said, we never know who is actually coming although we work hard to find possible entrants," Warner added. "And should anyone want to enter their 14 year old in our race please remember the entry box for the Au Revoir closes at 9AM Thursday, December 26."
In spite of the distances that the horses have to travel just to compete, the Mighty M has filled and presented the Au Revoir three times in the last four years
by John Manzi for Monticello Raceway

The first two-year-old race of the season in Australia was run last night at Bathurst and was taken out in impessive style by the Chris Frisby trained Catalina Rainbow.
Starting from the outside barrier, the daughter of Grinfromeartoear forged to the lead and kicked clear on the home bend to win by 11 metres for reinswoman Ashlee Siejka.
Bred by John Markham, Catalina Rainbow is the third foal and first winner of the Troublemaker mare Dance A Rainbow 1:59.8 - $53,235.

Bill O’Donnell is one of harness racing’s most successful drivers and will be making his seventh straight appearance at the Central Huron oval’s biggest event of the racing season this Sunday, August 18.
The native of Springhill, Nova Scotia formed one half of racing’s dynamic duo (the other being John Campbell) that terrorized race tracks across North America through the 1980's and is considered one of the sport’s first true ‘catch drivers’.
"As a youngster growing up in the business I didn’t really think about becoming a driver," he recalls. "It was just something that evolved and I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time really with the opening of The Meadowlands in the late 70's. That really changed everything in harness racing and for me personally."
O’Donnell remembers getting hooked on racing early, at the age of 8, while helping his uncle Art Porter at the former Maritime racing mecca of Sackville Downs near Halifax. From that point on he knew that there was nothing else he wanted to do.
That path took him to Ontario at the age of 17 where he went to work for the late Ron Feagan before returning the next summer and working for the
iconic Bill Wellwood.
It wasn’t long before O’Donnell headed south of the border to Massachusetts where he landed a job working for fellow Maritimer Jim Doherty in the late 1970's. It was around that time that a new one-mile track was opening in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and little did he know at the time what an important role it would play in his career.
"I remember Joe Defrank (Meadowlands’ Race Secretary at the time) coming to Rockingham and scouting some of the top local guys like Jim (Doherty)
and Teddy Wing," he explains. "There was no one happier than me to see those guys go because I vaulted from about sixth in the driver’s colony to
first that next season," he jokes.
After honing his skills for the next couple of seasons at other venues like Rosecroft and Saratoga, O’Donnell finally made his first foray to The Meadowlands. By the time that second year rolled around, he was becoming more and more in demand and finally decided to try and make that his ew
home.
By 1984, he had become well established in the New York/New Jersey area and it was that year that fortune really smiled down on him. The legendary
Billy Haughton was pointing a rookie phenom named Nihilator towards the $2 million Woodrow Wilson and made the fateful decision to pull himself off
the colt in favour of the younger O’Donnell.
"I couldn’t believe it and I actually said ‘Bill are you crazy’?" he remembers vividly. "He said candidly that his eyesight wasn’t as good then and that he felt he was just a step behind the younger guys at that point in his career. It was pivotal for me and was probably a catalyst for the catch-driving movement at that time."
Nihilator obliterated the field in the Wilson and went on to a career record of 35 wins from 38 starts and more than $3.2 million in earnings while winning everything in the sport along the way.
By then, O’Donnell was at the top of his game and in huge demand in all of the sport’s biggest races. He would have the chance to sit behind some of
the greats including Genghis Khan, Staying Together, Prakas, Napoletano, Troublemaker and Camtastic.
He is just a few dollars shy of $100 million in career purse winnings and has steered the winners of more than 5,700 winners during his distinguished
career. These days he splits his time between the horses and serving as President of the Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA).
On Sunday, he will get a chance to renew acquaintances with several old friends (and rivals on the racetrack) including Campbell, Doherty, Ray Remmen and Ron Waples.
"Getting to see all those guys again is much fun for me as anything. We were all very competitive when we raced each other but great friends off the track," he says. "This sport has given me much more than I’ve given it, so I always like to make time for events like this. The enthusiasm of the fans on this day is always fantastic and I can’t wait for it."
The $15,000 Legends Day Trot and Ontario Sires Stakes action for two-year-olds will be the highlight races of the afternoon.
Fans will have an opportunity to meet this year’s legends and receive autographs starting at 2:30 p.m. There will also be live entertainment and pony rides and face painting for the kids.
The Pineridge Barbecue Chicken dinner is scheduled from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. (tickets $15 each) and Legends T-shirts will be on sale for just $2. All roceeds, along with those from the silent auction that day, will go to the Clinton Public Hospital Foundation.
For details on the days events visit www.clintonraceway.com
by Jessica Carnochan

A total of $850,000 in stakes was up for grabs at Tabcorp Park Melton over two night's of harness racing last weekend, with the running of the Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series for two, three and four year olds.

The Shepparton harness racing meeting on Tuesday June 11 was highlighted by the Vicbred Super Series sponsored by Empire Stallions, with the second round heats programmed for 2-Y-0 Colts & Geldings, 2-Y-0 Fillies, 3-Y-0 Filles and 3-Y-0 Colts & Geldings, all over 2190 metres.

The Artsplace horse Stonebridge Regal, a million dollar race winner and North America Cup placegetter, was credited with his first Australian race winner when the harness racing two-year-old McQueen Regal emerged successful at only her second start at Shepparton on Saturday night (December 22).

Alabar Bloodstock's fully-booked sire Courage Under Fire produced the first two-year-old winner in Australia this harness racing season when Business In Motion emerged successful at Bendigo last night (December 5).

More than three decades of excellence and achievement in the Breeding industry was recognized when husband-and-wife team John and Christine Yeomans were named the winners of the Ian Daff Memorial Harness Racing Award for Victorian Breeders of the Year for 2012.

Sweet Lou, the best 2-year-old pacer in harness racing last year, hasn't been able to match that performance in the marquee events of 2012. He finished fourth as the favorite in the North America Cup final, fifth as the big threat in the final of last week's Meadowlands Pace.

One of the success stories of Western Australian mares' harness racing this season is the five-year-old Pole Dancer. The daughter of Modern Art, bred in Victoria by Brian and Marilyn Gourley, posted her sixth win from 12 starts when she prevailed at Gloucester Park last Friday (December 9).

Gene Riegle, 83, a developer of many trotting and pacing champions and a member of Harness Racing's Hall of Fame died Oct. 17, 2011, at his Greenville, Ohio home. Details regarding his passing and funeral arrangements are not yet known, but will be reported when they become available.